Rycke Brown, Natural Gardener
To easily follow Rycke's writing, e-mail to rycke@gardener.com.
Rycke Brown (pronounced Reeka) has been a professional Natural Gardener for over 11 years. She renovates and maintains mainly residential landscapes, using the most natural, efficient methods. Look for The Natural Gardener on this page.
Rycke has made a 36-year study of home remedies. She has compiled an array of cheap and easy remedies, tested on herself, her family, pets, and friends. Some are published here under "Rycke's Remedies."
After her husband died in 1992, Rycke briefly published a newsletter, Uncommon Sense. Petitioning to Ax the Property Tax got her arrested, convicted, and sent to prison in 1996 for growing marijuana; she wrote about the experience in 1997 in Liberty magazine: "What am I doing here?"
After her release, she moved to Grants Pass, Oregon to be with her parents and children. In 2003, she started a weekly protest against the Holy War on Drugs. In 2005 she was arrested for giving pot cookies away at her protest and charged with several felonies.
This resulted in a conviction for possession only, and she beat the probation, getting it discharged a year early for non-cooperation. It also resulted in several articles in Liberty: "The Cookie Monster Gets Arrested," www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2005_08/brown-cookie.html; "The Cookie Monster Beats the Cops." www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2007_12/brown-cookie.html; and "I Protest," www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2005_10/brown-protest.html.
She has written extensively about politics and religion, mostly in 3-minute speeches to the Josephine County Commissioners and The Grants Pass City Council, who have actually come to look forward to these lessons. After several years of attending these meetings, she has come to speak their language.
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Rycke Brown (pronounced Reeka) has been a professional Natural Gardener for over 11 years. She renovates and maintains mainly residential landscapes, using the most natural, efficient methods. Look for The Natural Gardener on this page.
Rycke has made a 36-year study of home remedies. She has compiled an array of cheap and easy remedies, tested on herself, her family, pets, and friends. Some are published here under "Rycke's Remedies."
After her husband died in 1992, Rycke briefly published a newsletter, Uncommon Sense. Petitioning to Ax the Property Tax got her arrested, convicted, and sent to prison in 1996 for growing marijuana; she wrote about the experience in 1997 in Liberty magazine: "What am I doing here?"
After her release, she moved to Grants Pass, Oregon to be with her parents and children. In 2003, she started a weekly protest against the Holy War on Drugs. In 2005 she was arrested for giving pot cookies away at her protest and charged with several felonies.
This resulted in a conviction for possession only, and she beat the probation, getting it discharged a year early for non-cooperation. It also resulted in several articles in Liberty: "The Cookie Monster Gets Arrested," www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2005_08/brown-cookie.html; "The Cookie Monster Beats the Cops." www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2007_12/brown-cookie.html; and "I Protest," www.libertyunbound.com/archive/2005_10/brown-protest.html.
She has written extensively about politics and religion, mostly in 3-minute speeches to the Josephine County Commissioners and The Grants Pass City Council, who have actually come to look forward to these lessons. After several years of attending these meetings, she has come to speak their language.
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Gardening Shouldn’t Need a Special WeekThis week, the City of Grants Pass proclaimed National Garden Week. Obviously, gardening is becoming a lost art, or we wouldn't be proclaiming its usefulness. Gardening is basically pulling weeds; we all need to do it, obeying City code.
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Addictions Are a Cost of War: Marijuana Resolution Speech #31Since the discovery of opiate pain killers, addiction to them has been a cost of war. It doesn't help our soldiers to be made the enemy in our own country. Nor does a war on drugs and the people who use them help anyone else deal with their problems.
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Petition to the Grants Pass City Council Regarding Picking Up Litter from Public PropertyIt is the responsibility of all residents to keep their properties clean of litter. Every public servant should keep public property clean of litter by picking it up every day for 1/2 hour after their lunch breaks.
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Petition to the Josephine County Commissioners Regarding Picking Up Litter from Public PropertyEveryone should keep their property clean of litter; every public servant should pick up litter from public property every day after their lunch break for 1/2 hour. Reasons are listed.
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Save Our Children by Legalizing: Marijuana Resolution Speech #30Commissioner Reedy couldn't believe this writer is more concerned about weeds than saving our children from drugs. But our drug ban creates teen dealers, addicting them to easy money from the black market before they leave high school.
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Controlling Bad Weeds with Good WeedsThe Natural Gardener: Some weeds are better than others; chickweed, miners' lettuce, and henbit are examples. Dry areas can be easier to control by encouraging good annual weeds while weeding out bad weeds.
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Drug Culture v. Cop Culture: Marijuana Resolution Speech No. 29In response to a presentation on "drug culture," this writer reminds the Commissioners that real criminals don't advertise their criminality. The drug culture is not ashamed; it is persecuted, and knows it. Police should concentrate on catching thieves.
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City Council, Please Pick Up LitterAfter asking the Josephine County Commissioners to order all county employees to pick up litter after their lunch break, this writer now asks the Grants Pass City Council to order all city employees to do the same, and gives more reasons.
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Commissioners, Please Pick Up LitterPeer pressure isn't what it used to be regarding landscape maintenance. Our public servants should lead us by example by serving us, starting with the Commissioners and all county employees, picking up litter from public property after lunch.
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Weed Cloth and Red Death Kill SoilIn the quest for no maintenance, people use weed barrier cloth and fine bark to stop weeds. Both kill soil, making it compacted and hard for plants to grow in. Larger bark, wood chips, compost, and gravels do not kill soil and do block weeds.
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Neighborhood Watch Shows Policing FailureThe shooting of Travon Martin by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer shows a failure of police to keep basic order. The very existence of a Neighborhood Watch shows that residents don't feel safe, probably because the town is weedy and littered.
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Commissioners, Please Double Our PayJosephine County charges $30 or 8 hours of labor for next year's park pass. That's only $3.75 per hour for the labor. We would get many more such workers, if we had to work half the hours. Speech to the Josephine County Commissioners, 3/28/12.
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Bitter Cress and Groundsel Are BloomingThe Natural Gardener says: Bitter cress and groundsel are blooming; pull them before they spread seed. Other mustards and composites are also starting to bloom and seed.
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James Q. Wilson’s “Broken Windows”This writer never heard of James Q. Wilson until he died, but we had heard about his "Broken Windows" policing policy. He was right, but he didn't get to the root of the matter: weeds and litter. Speech to the Grants Pass City Council, 3/21/12.
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Hear Who You Will, ChairmanThis writer has stopped listening to Rush; this Board has just as much right to not recognize and not listen to speakers who abuse the privilege in Board meetings. Speech to the Josephine County Commissioners, 3/14/12, Grants Pass, Oregon
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City Council Should LegislateAn ex-councilor blames the $106,000 bus shelter fiasco on insufficient information from staff. Councilors should take control of their meetings, and present their own agenda items, seeking information from staff and the public as needed.
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Seek Uninterested CommentThe Josephine County Commissioners currently allow only one comment from a citizen in a meeting, for the most part. This discards uninterested comment, the most valuable kind.
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Maintain Open Public LandscapesIn Arizona, local governments rarely hedge; they limb up and thin out their landscapes for security and natural beauty. In Oregon, hedging appears to be the default pruning method. It is not good for security, beauty, weed control, or litter control.
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Hedging is Neither Beautiful nor Low MaintenanceHedging is the most common method of pruning because it is the fallback of the ignorant. It is often ugly, rarely beautiful, and is high maintenance. Hedges are also hard to weed and keep free of litter, and give criminals places to hide.
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Commissioners, Let Us Inform YouThe Josephine County Commissioners have lately restricted public comment at their Weekly Business Session to three minutes per person at the beginning of the meeting, before agenda items are presented. It doesn't work well for governance.
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A $57,000 Boys-Only Trip to the Movies in DallasThe Dallas school district sent 5,700 boys to the movie theater while girls watched another movie in school. This discrimination and the resulting offense was caused by spending federal money to benefit some poor kids, instead of all children.Also published on:
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Get Behind a Real Sales TaxThe Finance Officer of the City of Grants Pass showed up at the County's Town Hall Meeting to object to a "Sales Tax v. Property Tax Levy" proposal, though the City recently proposed a sales tax. One objection was substantive; this is a solution.
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Board Disagrees with County CounselOne Commissioner brought a proposed video policy to the Board that he said was drafted by Legal Counsel. The other two Commissioners could not believe it is legal, calling all of our elected Legal Counsel opinions into doubt.
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$106,000 Bus Stops, Reduced?When it came to deciding whether and how to continue its instantly infamous bus stop project, the Grants Pass City Council could have been good citizens of the United States, or of Grants Pass, but not both.
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Public Art in a Messy CityMayor Murphy asks, "What is public art worth?" Not much, without cleanliness and order. It's like a woman putting on makeup and jewelry without brushing her hair or changing clothes. A speech to the Grants Pass City Council.
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$106,000 Bus Stops, ReconsideredStung by headlines, the Grants Pass City Council reconsiders its vote to apply for another $150,000 in federal CMAQ funds. But killing the project would cost Grants Pass taxpayers $80,000, paid back to the feds for money already spent.
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We Need a Dog Park on GreenwoodThe Grants Pass City Council has said that we need more dog parks; we have two at opposite ends of town. We need another between two, next to the walking path that winds behind the sewage treatment plant at the end of Greenwood Avenue.
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$106,000 Bus Stops: How Dedicated Funding Causes WasteThe Grants Pass City Council voted to spend another $150,000 on a bus shelter project, bringing the total per shelter to over $106,000, and this writer advised them to do it. We are all reconsidering, but this is how dedicated funding causes waste.
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Teaching Wishful Thinking In the Book "The Secret Of Water"In The Secret of Water, Dr. Emoto supposedly teaches young children science about water. But his science is nonsense, and he really teaches wishful thinking and deliberate ignorance.
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Law and Order and Nuisance CodesOrder is the reason for law. Disorder makes criminals comfortable and respectable people nervous. Nuisance codes keep basic order and let the criminals know that the cops are doing their job. Enforcing them is not a luxury to discard.
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Alternatives on the BallotJosephine County Commissioner Reedy said that the Board has to present the citizens with alternatives on the ballot to fund our county. Not raising taxes is not an option, that means we need two tax measures to choose from.
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Slippery Elm Relieves Clindamycin Side EffectsClindamycin's common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, and heartburn. Slippery Elm bark tea relieved all of these symptoms.
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Give Us a Choice of TaxesJosephine County will soon have to pay for its own law enforcement; federal support will either be slim or not happen. Our Commissioners should offer voters a choice of sales tax or property tax levy on the ballot.
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Argument is Always GoodArguments can make a good proposal better, or cause one to reject one's own idea. Lincoln so valued argument that he appointed his opposition to his cabinet. Opposition is true friendship, and he knew it.
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Be Careful with Vitamin DA mere 800 units of Vitamin D two days in a row caused a nightmare of body aches and inflammation for the next 24 hours.
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Peer Enforcement Creates CrimeThe Grants Pass City Manager said that the City enforces its litter code by "peer pressure." The City is asked to apply some peer pressure on the County to clean the roadway alongside the Fairgrounds, and reminded why peer pressure doesn't work.
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“Extra Virgin” is Not VirginA new book tells us about "Extra Virginity: the Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil." The author doesn't get the joke that the agribusiness industry has played on us for decades.
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Peer Pressure for Law EnforcementThe Grants Pass City Manager said on KAJO's talk show that the City relies on "peer pressure" to enforce its litter code. Peer pressure appears to work more against enforcement of the code than otherwise. It had no effect on the County's Fairground.
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Meet Our New County ManagerConnecting the dots of the latest actions by the majority of the Josephine Board of County Commissioners, it is apparent that they have created a defacto County Manager by giving hiring power to our CFO and passing what she wants without question.
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Leaves on Streets; Items on AgendasLeaves are falling, and we still don't have an ordinance to make people clean them up off their streets and sidewalks, though one has been proposed several times. We need a petition process for citizens to bring proposals to the agenda.
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Our CFO Can Now Hire “Temporary Workers”The Josephine County Commissioners eliminated a good man's necessary job supposedly to save money. Now they have granted their CFO authority to hire temps, the better to hide the cost of parceling out his job to other workers.
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Rycke's Remedies #14: Tai Chi for Diabetes, and Much MoreDiabetics are told they need strengthening exercise to help control their blood sugar, but overweight people need a safe exercise regimen for bad knees and backs. Tai Chi is safe for everyone, available everywhere, and gives added benefits.
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Bring Disagreements to the PeopleTwo members of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners roll over the third member by taking controversial matters of policy to Admin meetings where there is little public comment. A new rule is proposed.
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Stonewalling Leads to Cover-upAfter refusing to answer obvious questions before eliminating the County Facilities Director position, the Josephine County Commissioners and staff seek to hide the answers by allowing their CFO to distribute his duties.
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Peaceful Pink Mob Rules the DayThe Peaceful Pink People threatened to bring 300 people to the new hearing on the AT&T cell tower proposal. They barely brought 60, but still won the day with the same four councilors who voted with them last time.
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See, Hear, and Speak of EvilThe Grants Pass City Manager takes a Councilor to task because he dared say bad things about our city government. She apparently subscribes to the "wisdom" of the three monkeys.
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“Ramrodding” Agenda ItemsAn explanation to the Josephine County Commissioners what "ramrodding" means in this context.
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Cronyism Begins at HomeWe were told to show up at the Admin meeting if we wanted to comment on a controversial item. They wound up showing us much more unnecessary evil than we expected.
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Sales Tax V. Property Tax LevyThe Josephine County Commissioners are looking at a temporary property tax levy to fill the hole left by the end of federal safety net funding. A sales tax has been proposed by this writer.
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Rycke's Remedies #13: Oregano Oil Clears Up Toenail FungusOregano is not only an exceedingly strong antibiotic, but is effective against toenail fungus as well, without the life-threatening side effects of prescription anti-fungal medications.
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Do the Easy Job FirstWhen faced with a huge, intimidating job, the first thing to do is the easiest part. When it comes to cleaning up a yard or a city of weeds and litter, the first thing to do is pick up the litter. -
Citizens Must Petition for FundingCitizens have been demanding a plan from Josephine County Commissioners to fund this county in 268 days, when our federal grant money runs out. Citizens must put forward their own plans, and petition to put one on the ballot.
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Water Your Lawn, PleaseIf you let your lawn go dry, you are saving money at the expense of your neighbors three ways: ugliness; weeds move in and spread; and water rates rise to cover lack of use. Josephine County has done just that at the "abandoned" hospital on Dimmick.
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Trouble on the Ground: Puncture VinePuncture vine, which spreads tack-like seeds underfoot, didn't grow in Grants Pass 20 years ago, but it is established now, due to ignorance, weed whacking, and Roundup. How to recognize it and get rid of it. -
Every Litter Bit ShowsCity landscape maintenance contractors, both Work Crew and private, ignore cigarette butts and smaller litter, and teach their workers to. We should teach them to do a thorough job and to obey city code regarding both weeds and litter.
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Big Fire Caused by City’s NeglectGrants Pass had a big fire just off a main drag, that burned 3 acres before being put out with a helicopter and water bucket. It happened because the City has not enforced its nuisance code regarding weeds.
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Enforcing Nuisance Code is Police WorkGrants Pass city management doesn't believe that highly paid police should enforce nuisance codes, and uses complaints and Community Service officers. But a shooting spree in Ohio shows that complaining about property is dangerous work.
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Spraying V. Mowing: Both Spread WeedsFolks in Williams mow their roadsides to keep them from being sprayed. The County wants to take over care of some of those roads because mowing keeps grass next to pavement. But both mowing and spraying spread weeds along our roads.
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Judge Signs County Counsel's OpinionJudge Wolke ruled that Dwight Ellis, departing commissioner, can help pick his replacement under state law. But he asked prevailing counsel, Steve Rich, to write his decision for him. This violates the most basic rule of courts of law.
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Natural Gardener Report: City Work Plan for Weed ControlYears of landscape mismanagement have left the grounds surrounding the Grants Pass Wastewater Treatment Plant a mess of weeds. A plan is offered to eliminate weeds and bring it back into compliance with city code.
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We Need a City GardenerThis writer has been speaking to the Council for 6 years about various problems with City landscape management and non-enforcement of nuisance laws. All of these problems are due to the lack of a professional gardener on Staff.
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"Not Withstanding Any Other Provision of Law"Judge Wolke will hear a cause brought by two applicants for the vacancy on the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, asking that Dwight Ellis be stopped from partaking in the selection of his replacement. Their attorney missed a phrase.
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Erring Officials Rely on County CounselSix County elected officials wrote a letter to our resigning commissioner, asking him to interfere in picking his successor. In doing so, it appears that 5 of them relied on the 6th to tell them the law, which they signed as their own opinion.
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Notice to Erring Commissioners and the Gang of Six County OfficersThis writer gave our Commissioners the law about replacing a resigning Commissioner in two speeches. The next day, one of them ignored the law. This notice was brought to their next Legal meeting, and copies given for each named official.
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Clean Streets Make Clean StormwaterCity of Grants Pass code now requires bio-swales on new construction, to clean stormwater runoff into the Rogue River. A new nuisance code requiring residents to clean up leaves from pavements would keep runoff clean from all streets, if it is enforced.
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Practical Politics: Speaking to a Board or CouncilCounty meetings used to be short and sweet; they have lately become long and irritating. Some suggestions for people who want to be good citizens and talk to their public servants at their meetings.
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Enforcement by Complaint Makes TroubleA second case of property damage happens to the City's most prolific complainant regarding weeds. Enforcement by complaint is inherently unequal and causes trouble between neighbors, rather than keeping order and peace.
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County Counsel Ignores a LawCounty Counsel Steve Rich told us that a state law allows the full Board to appoint a successor for its resigning member before his resignation is effective, allowing him a vote. He ignored another law that defines the appointing authority.
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County Counsel Attempts a CoupA County Commissioner resigns as of the end of August. The County Charter says that the remaining two Commissioners, an insider and an outsider, have to appoint a new Commissioner. County Legal Counsel keeps trying to nullify the outsider's vote.
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Government is Necessarily EvilA fellow frequent speaker disagrees that government is inherently evil. His constant attendance and recording of county meetings, including several advisory committees, argues otherwise.
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City Disrespects Its Own LawsThe City of Grants Pass has de-emphasized enforcement of its own nuisance codes over the last decade or two, putting it on particular officers instead of all, giving them different names and now separate uniforms, and enforcing only on a complaint basis.
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Rycke's Remedies #12A hot foot bath with vinegar can clear up athlete's foot. You can also culture your own Manchurian Tea for a great daily vinegar drink, good for ulcers and other stomach problems and for working in the heat.
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Public Safety is Not the PointAn ex-city councilor came to tell the City Council about the certified letter from the City to cut his empty lot that he had gotten 5 weeks before he'd ever gotten one before. He complains that enforcement has changed from public safety to noxious weeds.
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Our County Counsel Won Against UsOur County Counsel says a judge's decision in 2005 validates the County Commissioners in creating new fees without a vote of the people, despite a charter amendment that says otherwise. That decision and case reeks of conflict of interest and fraud.
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Pot Prices Collapse! Marijuana Resolution Speech #2824 bills were introduced in the Oregon legislature to tighten up medical marijuana; one is still barely alive. Why such concern? Because pot prices have collapsed, and black market growers are hurting, and talking to their legislators.
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How to Grow Big Tomatoes, Peppers, Melons, and Other Heat-loving PlantsIf you want to grow a big tomato plant, start with a small one. Includes tips for good soil, warm soil, and keeping cats from digging. These rules apply to all heat-loving annuals, particularly peppers and melons. -
Bank Tells Different Stories to Neighbors, CopsBank of America tells different stories to cops than they tell to neighbors who complain about their neglect of foreclosed properties. They tell the cops that they don't own it; neighbors they just shine on.
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Threaten Bank Presidents with JailTo prevent neglect of foreclosed properties, in 2008 Indio, California passed an ordinance requiring registration and maintenance of abandoned or foreclosed properties, and making violations a misdemeanor.
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Banks Foreclose Illegally, Refuse to MaintainBanks foreclose a property, change the locks, and then tell the cops that they don't own it yet, so they don't have to maintain it. They don't own it; they had long ago sold the note, didn't record the sale, and foreclosed illegally.
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Rudely Running Our Private Public MarketGrowers' Market Manager Marty Fate made the local paper once again for being rude and ignoring the law, this time regarding service dogs. It's time for the City Council to revoke their exclusive lease to our public market.
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Teens: We Need a Community MarketAmong other goals outlined by selected high school students to the Grants Pass City Council is a "'Community Market," because "the [public market] we have is privately owned."
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Indoor Cultivation Sucks: Marijuana Resolution Speech #27A California researcher has found that a full 1% of the electricity used in the United States is used to grow marijuana indoors.
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Roundup Doesn't Help Maintain GravelRoundup and other glyphosate herbicides doesn't help keep gravel clean. Indeed, it is counter-productive. Pulling is more efficient at eliminating weeds in gravel.
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Cops Walking Our Neighborhoods:What are Grants Pass police doing when not answering calls for help? Revenuing: driving around looking for traffic violations. They could solve more thefts if they were walking, looking for weed and litter violations, and talking to people.
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End Nixon's War on UsThe Oregon Cannabis Tax Act is again circulating for the ballot for 2012; the legislature should not wait for the people to pass it. It's also time to get rid of the DEA and end the war that Nixon declared on us, the War on Drugs.
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Our Town Needs a HostelEvery city in Europe has what every city in America needs: a hostel, a cheap place to sleep and clean up. We currently have empty buildings and idled businessmen as well. The need is great; so is the opportunity.
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Making the Poor Cover the RichWe didn't hear about homelessness before mandatory auto insurance began in the '80s. People who lost their homes had their autos to sleep in, out of the weather. But forced charity made the middle class resent the poor.
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Give Our City a Piece of Our ActionGrants Pass is asking its Council to put a "retail privilege tax" on the May ballot; councilors are skeptical. This writer prefers a straight sales tax.
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Sheriff Allows Animal Hoarding HellSheriff Gilbertson has had a policy of not responding to non-emergency calls because of low staffing. This has resulted in major crimes, including the killing of Tom Green and, most recently, the most horrific animal-hoarding case in Josephine County.
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Don't Spray! Spread SeedPerpetua Forest Company plans to spray several selective herbicides by helicopter on their clear-cut property near Lake Selmac, which alarms their neighbors. A better, possibly cheaper alternative is to spread conifer seed instead.
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Seeds V. Starts 3: Trees and Shrubs--Natural Gardener #13Generally, the larger the transplant, the slower it will grow. This applies to trees, but very small tree starts have low survival rates; one is better off scattering seed to grow a forest.
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Necessary Evil #5Grants Pass police enforce nuisance ordinances only by complaint, but discourage complaints by occasionally telling the complainants who complained. Police should be walking our neighborhoods looking for such violations themselves.
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Rycke's Remedies #11Sun damage on my face spontaneously disapppeared, soon after a change in diet. Help me figure out what food cleaned up my skin.
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The Wealth of Counties #4Farms cannot exist without farmers. Oregon's unique land use law has so devalued Oregon farm land that corporate farms are going broke and old farmers are dying and not being replaced. After 40 years, the time may be ripe for its repeal.
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Land and Liability #13Grants Pass police have made it clear that they will not enforce nuisance codes until a property is at the health and safety hazard stage. This ensures the development of health and safety hazards, and eventually, slums.
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Rycke's Remedies #10Listerine kills ants and fleas as well as germs. It also makes a great conditioner.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #2550 officers spent 400 man-hours arresting 7 people and closing down 3 centers that sold medical pot to medical card holders. The Feds fund such unnecessary evil on borrowed money, distorting the priorities of our local police.
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Rycke's Remedies #9Many chlidren still endure great pain and sometimes lose hearing to ear infections. Garlic oil can stop an earache in its tracks and fight other infections as well.
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Land and Liability #12The Daily Courier ran an article on Grants Pass' alleged neglect of the orchard they bought in 2006. The City Manager answered, but did not refute, the charges of allowing fire, disease, and pest hazards to develop. -
Land and Liability #11Grants Pass thought it was buying a nice chunk of land for a park, but the orchard is really a sacred white elephant. Oregon's land use law had turned all of Oregon's large farms into sacred white elephants that are hard to sell.
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Land and Liability #10The City of Grants Pass can't really be blamed for buying the Naumes property; they aren't farmers and didn't know any better. Naumes failed to disclose that a commercial orchard has to be torn out if it is not going to be maintained by pruning.
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The Natural Gardener #11Bitter cress is coming up early in Grants Pass. If you like hot, bitter greens, it's great in a salad or boiled; just don't let it take over. Water cress is easy to grow in the right location, and there another wild mustard that is not hairy and tough.
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The Restwell Center 2The Daily Courier has done a spread on our local homeless folk in time for the Annual Homeless Count. A friend of the homeless wishes for a shelter where they can stay without drug tests and searches.
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Political Science: Global WarmingIs rising carbon dioxide a cause or result of global warming?
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Land and Liability #9The Grants Pass City Council and Staff are given official notice that their 150 acres of pear trees has become a fire hazard after four years. With toxic hop poles and plastic irrigation line throughout, it could fill this valley with toxic smoke.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #24Two bills have been introduced in the Oregon legislature requiring drug testing for public assistance. Tell our politicians to stop the nonsense and pass the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2010.
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Land and Liability #8A look by another at the Grants Pass' abandoned orchard reveals that after 4 years of neglect, it could easily burn; with the treated poles and suspended plastic irrigation lines, it would be toxic. But the City Manager proved that she doesn't listen.
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Practical Politics #5A cell tower was proposed in NW Grants Pass; a group was organized to oppose it, based on bad health effects. The Council is not allowed to consider health effects, so the actual appeals were based on its ugliness.
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Land and Liability #7Grants Pass should clean up its 250 acres of farmland, especially its 150 acres of diseased pear trees, before it plans what to do with it. This will put first things first, employ the unemployed, and give our land use laws time to be changed.
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Rycke's Remedies #8Mullein stops a cough like magic, and easily blends into your favorite herb teas, having little flavor. Hot salsa burns out the tickle in the throat, kills germs, and opens sinuses. Lemon and honey also soothes a sore throat, reducing coughs.
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The Restwell CenterHomeless folk have been protesting in Ashland for a shelter or a camp; Dennis Roler says that Ashland should start a shelter like the one in Grants Pass, but it's a rehab, not a shelter. Here is a proposal to start a real homeless shelter.
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Necessary Evil #4Oregon's universities administrators are asking for more freedom from state control; the legislature steals tuition money for other programs. All of our schools should be freed; public servants have conflicts of interest in teaching their masters.
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Separation of Powers #3Grants Pass' Council/Manager form of government does not separate powers of administration and legislation, because the hired Manager is subject to the Council, not the people. We need an elected executive mayor whom the voters can fire.
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Ignoring the Law #2A reply to a defense of the Mayor's illegal appointment of a quorum of the Grants Pass City Council by one of his appointees.
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Ignoring the Law #1Grants Pass recalled 5 Councilors over the firing of its City Manager. The Mayor, faced with 6 months before a special election could be held, appointed 5 new councilors under ORS 221.160. It contains no such authority, but has a way to a legal council.
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Rycke's Remedies #7Chickweed is good, easy medicine for any eye infection. It's also good greens with lots of vitamins and fiber, a wild substitute for lettuce and spinach. It's available months early this year.
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The Natural Gardener #10Chickweed and miners' lettuce are coming up months early in Grants Pass, in fall instead of early spring; chickweed is already flowering. Take advantage of great free nutrition with these lettuce substitutes.
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Rycke's Recipes: Pumpkin RelishYour Halloween jack-o-lantern pumpkin can be used for more than decoration; it can make great relish to perk up your meals all winter long.
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Land and Liability #6in 2006, the City of Grants Pass secretly brought a deal for 250 acres of farm land, including 150 acres of pear orchard, to its Council. The Council, not being farmers, bought that pig in a poke. Now the City has to clean it up.
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Land and Liability #5150 acres of pear orchard were part of 250 acres of farmland bought by the City of Grants Pass in 2006; the trees have been neglected ever since. Disease is now apparent; the City's orchard has become a danger to downwind farmers and gardeners.
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Land and Liability #4Grants Pass socializes the small and controllable cost of street cleaning, while loading the heavy burden of street construction and improvements on owners of adjacent properties.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #23Prop 19 in California and Measure 74 in Oregon failed to pass. Talk to your legislators and tell them that we need a renamed Oregon Cannabis Tax Act to save us from the corruption of medical marijuana.
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The Natural Gardener #9This Natural Gardener uses glyphosate herbicide because it kills plants, does not harm animals, and feeds soil life. The last is its downside as well, as it feeds worms that attract moles and pill bugs that eat seedlings.
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The Natural Gardener #8The easiest time to kill annual and perennial grasses is in fall when the soil is moist and they are just getting started. After that, it varies. Perennial grasses often just have to be dug out.
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Rycke's Remedies #6Arthritis is chronic inflammation in particular joints. Anti-inflammatory foods like cayenne, cherry juice, and turmeric can keep it at bay, and also help prevent other diseases caused by chronic inflammation.
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Land and Liability #3Grants Pass police would rather enforce illegal ordinances suppressing speech on public property than enforce nuisance codes against weeds and litter. A comparison of posting on poles v allowing weeds and litter.
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Free Speech on Public Property #2The City of Grants Pass changed two illegal sign codes and didn't make them any more legal--the reverse in one case. Illegal laws suppressing speech intimidate only those who are both ignorant and law abiding.
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Free Speech on Public PropertyAn officer of the City of Grants Pass attempts to enforce an illegal ordinance unequally, and finds that it doesn't say what he thinks it does. Nonetheless, he attempts to suppress the news that felons can vote.
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Necessary Evil #3In his campaign ad, Sheriff Gilbertson said that he took and oath to defend the U.S. Constitution and the laws of Oregon. He didn't say that he kept that oath.
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Weapons in the Courthouse #3In the name of security, and apparently under pressure from the Oregon Department of Justice, Judge Baker and Sheriff Gilbertson have enforced weapon rules in the courthouse that are not justified under Oregon law.
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Weapons in the Courthouse #2Judge Baker doesn't allow sharp objects in her courthouse, without authority in Oregon law. She doesn't allow concealed weapon holders to carry their weapons in the courthouse, leaving law-abiding visitors defenseless.
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Weapons in the CourthouseA judge is frightened by small sewing scissors in her courtroom. This is the result of an unsafe no-weapons zone, where only the disobedient are armed, and any sharp object can become a weapon.
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Necessary Evil #2In a democracy, there are four conditions within an organization that can lead to torture. The Josephine County Jail has all four conditions in play in its treatment of prisoners, leading to torture of this writer.
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Necessary Evil #1Our sheriff keeps the temperature cool and the inmates underdressed, such that half the inmates have to wear blankets to stay warm. This is against jail rules, for good reason, but the rule is not enforced for better reason.
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Separation of Powers #2Some people think that public safety levies are useful as a referendum on how well the department is run. In fact, it is useless as a referendum; the only effective referendum on management is election of managers.
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Special Favors #3Our County government hands out special grants to special businesses. This leaves all other businesses out in the cold, and violates Oregon's constititution. The Board should make such grants equal and automatic.
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Special Favors #2Our commissioners hand out special grants to special businesses for "economic development." This violates the Oregon Constitution's prohibition of special privileges.
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Special Favors #1The Josephine County Commissioners hands out special grants to special businesses in administrative meetings, bypassing public comment. This is one problem with having both executive and legislative branches in one body.
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Non-Partisan Elections #1The party nomination system short-circuits separation of powers, by allowing elected officials and party officials greater influence in choosing candidates for office, and marginalizes minority opinions.
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Separation of PowersGrants Pass, Josephine County, and most of Oregon's local governments lack true separation of powers, with executive, legislative, and sometimes judicial powers combined in one body, inevitably leading to corruption.
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Petition for All-Non-Partisan Elections in OregonA petition to make all elections in Oregon non-partisan: no party labels on the ballot; everyone gets to vote for all the candidates; the top two go on to the general election; and it applies to all elections in Oregon.
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Land and Liability #2Grants Pass police do not enforce and seem unaware of the City's weed and litter nuisance ordinances. They spend a lot of time and money cleaning up health and safety hazards that result from non-enforcement of these laws.
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The Natural Gardener #7Some leaves have a bad reputation that they don't deserve. Pine and oak are not acid; walnut leaves don't kill started plants, just seeds. All three are exceedingly useful to suppress weeds and build soil.
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The Natural Gardener #6Free mulch falls from trees, mostly in fall. Use them where they can do the most good, suppressing weeds in your garden beds. Now is also the time to start building your garden for spring, by gathering those leaves into beds.
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Biblical Politics #2The 5 books of Moses were written by one man; his two different creation stories must be reconciled, which takes two gods. Paying attention to the names of the two gods in Genesis makes Moses' writings comprehensible.
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Land and Liability #1Farmland is not an asset one can hold for free: it can be a huge maintenance liability. The City of Grants Pass has been holding 250 acres of farmland and not maintaining it; the County should enforce noxious weed statutes.
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Biblical Politics #1Moses was raised both as an Egyptian prince and a child of Israel; his stories start with two creations by two very different gods: the good "God" of liberty, and the "Lord God" of government, which is necessary evil.
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Prayer in Public Meetings #7Jesus said that no one is good but God, and Madison said that men are not angels. But our Mayor appears to believe that our police chief is angelic and doesn't have too much power.
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Force and Charity #9Josephine County parks operate independent of our tax dollars, on user fees; the fees are now to be backed by fines. Since the parks now operate like a business, we can free them from the stranglehold of government.
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The Natural Gardener #5Fall is the best time to plant most plants. Among annuals, seeds are generally superior to starts. But not for cabbage or spinach family plants; with those, you get good seed for next year from starts planted this fall.
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Prayer in Public Meetings #6Jesus considered the Pharisees parasites because they ignored the greatest law while enforcing the least taboo. Our City government ignores the Constitutions, enforces illegal laws, and doesn't enforce nuisance laws.
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The Wealth of Counties #3Senator Atkinson, an avid fisherman, doesn't like tourists with dredges and wants to ban all non-resident dredge miners from Oregon. He would rather ban mining than make the state enforce its regulations.
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Rycke's Remedies #5Slippery elm is a natural, gentle, soothing, healing antibiotic, but like other antibiotics, it should not be used lightly. Also like other anti-biotics, killing a chronic infection takes long, persistent treatment.
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Rycke's Remedies #4Nearly any gut problem from throat to anus can be cleared up with powdered slippery elm bark. Its soothing, healing gel is good for sore throat, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, ulcers, and radiation damage.
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Practical Politics #4If you don't order your servants, they think they are your masters. Tell your public servants, particularly police, when they are doing unnecessary evil, and point them to the necessary evil that they are failing to do.
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The Wealth of Counties #270% of Josephine County's land is held by the federal government,supposedly reserved for timber production. But the Powers that Be in Washington DC have decided that our scenery is more valuable to them than our lumber.
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Rycke's Remedies #3Cabbage poultice is amazing in its ability to stop a toothache, though it's no substitute for a dentist in the long run. It also reduces tumors.
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Rycke's Remedies #2If it hurts, I put cabbage on it. A cabbage poultice takes out infection and inflammation down to the bone; it can cure a toothache or gangrene. Just don't use it on inflamed skin.
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The Wealth of CountiesAre raw materials or people the true source of a county's wealth? Oregon's laws designed to save farmland are slowly strangling farming in Oregon and driving farmers out of the state.
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Practical Politics #3Not voting is not any sort of protest of the system. In fact, the Powers that Be love it when you don't vote. They do everything they can to suppress turnout while appearing to encourage it.
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Force and Charity #8Africa and Josephine County have similarities that contribute to the poverty of each: raw material-based economies and dependence on aid from outside. Neither are dependable.
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Practical Politics #2The young man who wants to own his own taxi company asks the City Council to reconsider their denial of his licenses. This time he does everything right, and it works.
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Prayer in Public Meetings #5In denying a young man separate taxi-owner's and taxi-driver's licenses after five years of yearly approvals of his driving record under his former boss, city police showed that they respect persons and pervert justice.
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Force and Charity #7Josephine Community Libraries Inc. is uncertain of their sustainability. They need to take a clue from other successful non-profits, and advertise on radio to get more members and more money.
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Force and Charity #6The third closure of a county library is no longer national news. Federal funding to counties is no more dependable than state funding when it comes to charity. Neither are special tax districts; they have to pass first.
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The Natural Gardener #4The easiest and often the best way to deal with an ugly or overgrown shrub is to cut it to the ground; it will grow back young and pretty. Principles of cutting branches and hedging are also covered.
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Practical Politics #1The gentleman had a good case, but conducted his appeal badly, and lost. Unknowingly causing offense is as bad as offending on purpose. An appeal to the Grants Pass City Council, 7-21-2010.
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Prayer in Public Meetings #4The City Council sets the tone for how the City operates. Opening their meetings with a prayer sets a tone of utter disregard for First Amendment rights. Speech to the Grants Pass City Council, 7-21-2010.
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Force and Charity #5Mandatory health insurance will not be the first charity forced on us. "Free" compulsory education began in Massachusetts in the 1850's. Speech to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-21-2010.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #22The 2008 Oregon Cannabis Tax Act was re-written for 2010--a bit late to actually make the ballot. The only major change is that it calls for state cannabis shops, rather than selling pot in state liquor stores.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #21In a democracy, it is proper that the people lead and public servants follow. When it comes to liberalizing marijuana laws, the people have had to drag their public servants along kicking and screaming.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #20At a meeting of the John Birch Society, our Sheriff, Gil Gilbertson, told us, "Marijuana should be treated just like liquor." Many in law enforcement feel the same.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #19Black markets in neighboring states make it unwise for Oregon to immediately recognize the rights of Oregon citizens to freely grow and sell marijuana without license or limits. Speech to our County Commissioners, 11-10-2009.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #18Federal laws regarding marijuana and other drugs violate the 10th Amendment, usurping powers reserved to the states and the people. 18th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 10-14-2009.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #17There is no reason to treat pot more harshly than liquor and many reasons why it should be less regulated, but equal treatment will do for now. 17th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 9-30-2009.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #16Governments do not ban substances because they are toxic, but because they are medicinal. 16th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 9-16-2009.
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Force and Charity #4State charity, dependent on the whims of people who don't own the money and don't really care, is not dependable. 4th speech to the Josephine County Commissioners on the subject of Force and Charity, 7-14-2010.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #15No substance is so pernicious that a black market can't make it worse. Nothing spreads use like a legion of addicted salesmen on the streets. 15th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 9-9-2010.
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The Natural Gardener #3You can't kill a rose by cutting it down occasionally. The easiest and best way to deal with an ugly rose bush is to cut it to the ground. It will come right back with new youth and beauty.
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Rycke's Remedies: Cheap and Simple Cures for What Ails You #1You can make the wonderful medicinal Oil of St. Johns Wort quickly and easily, but you have to do it now or wait until next year.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #14Legalizing marijuana would leave a lot more money in pot smokers' wallets that could be spent on other consumer goods or saved. 14th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 9-2-2009.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #13The illegality of marijuana has the police weeding our forests, where Mexican cartels grow weed for our market. 13th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 8-26-2009
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #12Medical Marijuana privileges create corruption, as privileged sick people make black-market profits selling to healthy pot smokers. 12th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 8-19-2009
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Prayer in Public Meetings #3City Councilors often pray for wisdom; so did Solomon. He apparently didn't seek it in the Book, because he broke all the rules of kingship. 3rd speech in a series to the Grants Pass City Council, 7-7-2010.
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Prayer in Public Meetings #2The only excuse given by the courts for allowing prayer in public meetings is tradition. Jesus had strong views on tradition v. law. 2nd speech in a seriest to the Grants Pass City Council, 7-16-2010.
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Prayer in Public MeetingsThe Grants Pass City Council opens its meetings with an invocation to Jesus, who told us to pray to our Father in private. First speech in a series to the Grants Pass City Council, 6-2-2010.
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Force and Charity #3When the government takes money by force and uses it for charity, it is not the recipients who are guilty of theft. 3rd speech in a short series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-7-2010
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Force and Charity #2Singleness of purpose is crucial to promoting a charity. 2nd speech in a short series on the shortcomings of public charity to the Josephine County Commissioners, continuing with the practical case.
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Force and Charity Don't MixAnswering a question from a County Commissioner: Should government help the homeless and street people? 1st speech in a short series on Force and Charity to the Josephine County Commissioners, beginning with the moral case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #9When the sheriff won't enforce the law, it should be repealed. 8th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-15-09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, continuing with the practical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #8Illegal weed costs legitimate merchants a lot of lost sales and drags down the entire economy. 8th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-15-09, asking them to ask the Oregon legislature to pass the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #7Want to find some weed? Ask a scruffy kid. 7th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-1-09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, continuing with the practical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #6Police chaser drug dealers rather than thieves. 6th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 6/24/09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, continuing with the practical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #5Jesus and Paul say that the personal habits of others are none of our business. 5th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 6/17/09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, starting with the biblical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #4Jesus and the apostles openly disobeyed bad laws. 4th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 6/10/09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, starting with the biblical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #3According to Lord Jesus and the Apostle Peter, God made all things clean. 3rd speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 6/3/09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, starting with the biblical case.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #11Medical Marijuana creates a privilege based on ill health and protects high pot prices. 11th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 8-12-2009, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #10Since this speaker has not been arrested, pot prohibition cannot be enforced against anyone in Josephine County. 10th speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 7-29-09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #2There are many reasons to legalize weed: A Resolution for the Josephine County Commissioners, supporting the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act. Read May 27th, 2009 to the Josephine County Commissioners; updated 6/18/2010.
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Marijuana Resolution Speech #1God gave us all green herbs bearing seed; how dare man prohibit one? 1st speech in a 22-speech series to the Josephine County Commissioners, 05/20/09, asking them to support the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, starting with the biblical case.
